In the current climate of world-wide isolation and working-from-home due to the coronavirus, we’re seeing some interesting trends – Toilet paper is as valuable as gold; tik tok is the new “funniest home video’s”; we’re all learning to play an instrument; and the Tiger King is one of the most recognisable zookeepers in the world.
Another trend we’re seeing at our clinic, is an increase in postural related aches and pain’s, particularly due to prolonged periods of sitting.
In particular, we’ve seen a number of clients starting to complain of pinching and tightness in their groin and hips. Most commonly people that we’ve seen come through the clinic with this type of pain before, but not all. We’re also seeing some people who have never suffered from hip and groin pain before, but are now feeling the pinch.
Fortunately, there’s a relatively easy fix to this problem.
Imagine you’re lying on your couch, under the pillows, and then your spouse or housemate decides to come and sit on you. That’s how your hip may feel while you’re sitting at your home office desk.
And if you’re sitting for 2-3 hours at a time this may lead to a bit of stiffness when you eventually do stand up and go for a walk, or may even lead to some pinching in the groin or hip when you go outside for a longer walk.
There is an easy fix for this – in fact, there’s a few things you can do:
Tips to avoid hip and groin pain when working from home
1. Place a thick pillow under your bum
Not only does this feel nice and cushy for your tushy, but it opens up the angle at your hip, taking any pinching pressure off the joint. Just make sure your feet are still on the ground and not hanging in the air.
2. Get up more often!
Our body’s aren’t designed to be sitting for hours at a time. Set a timer for 30mins on your mobile and when it rings stand up, take a few deep breaths, do a few stretches, go grab a glass of water, do some chair squats, and then sit back down. Just remember to start the timer again and do the same again after another 30mins.
3. Use a sit stand desk
We love variety! In fact, some may even say variety is the spice of life!
Change up your working positions throughout the day – start the morning standing at your desk, then have a rest and sit down for awhile, then stand up again.
Perform your exercise routine in the middle of your day.
Go for a walk while holding a meeting.
Changing positions will limit the stress placed on any one part of your body for too long.
Travis is a Title Musculoskeletal Physiotherapists who specialises in treating people with Hip and Groin pain. CLICK HERE TO MAKE A BOOKING.
For expert advice on how to relieve your hip pain from the comfort of your home, you can book an Online Physio Consult HERE.